Apparatus and method for following a preceding vehicle

• US 20060265115A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sugano, Takashi, Etori, Nariaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/17 with provision for special action when the preceding vehicle comes to a halt, e.g. stop and go

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle. A stop-holding device maintains a stopped state automatically when the vehicle is stopped, and the stop-holding device is in an enabled state or a disabled state. A control state for following the preceding vehicle is changed, at least in part, according to a set state of the stop-holding device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a vehicle for following a preceding vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an inter-vehicle distance sensor that detects an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle;

a brake device that decelerates the vehicle;

a stop-holding device that maintains a stopped state automatically when the vehicle is stopped;

an operation member for setting the stop-holding device in one of an enabled state and a disabled state; and

a controller operable to perform control for following the preceding vehicle using the brake device based on a signal from the inter-vehicle distance sensor and operable to use the operation member to change a control state for following the preceding vehicle according to a set state of the stop-holding device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor that detects a vehicle speed; and

wherein the controller is operable to perform a first following control operation that releases the control for following the preceding vehicle when the vehicle speed is lower than a first prescribed vehicle speed when the stop-holding device is in the disabled state.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is operable to perform a second following control while following the preceding vehicle until the vehicle is stopped when the stop-holding device is in the enabled state.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the controller is operable to stop the vehicle while control for following the preceding vehicle is released when the preceding vehicle is lost from view by the inter-vehicle distance sensor and when the vehicle speed falls below a second prescribed vehicle speed in the second following control.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the controller is operable to release the control for following the preceding vehicle when the stop-holding device is changed from the enabled state to the disabled state when the vehicle speed falls below the first prescribed vehicle speed during the second following control.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the controller is operable to switch from the second following control to the first following control when the stop-holding device is changed from the enabled state to the disabled state when the vehicle speed rises above the first prescribed vehicle speed during the second following control.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operable to set a target inter-vehicle distance in the first following control that is longer than a preset value when the stop-holding device changes from the enabled state to the disabled state due to generation of an abnormality in the stop-holding device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a notifying device that generates a notification chime at a prescribed running scenario during the control for following the preceding vehicle, the notifying device operable to generate different chimes in the first following control and the second following control.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the controller is further operable to make a stop-holding mode of the stop-holding device a priority without advancing the vehicle even if the preceding vehicle is advancing if the stop-holding mode is performed with the stop-holding device during the second following control.

10. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the inter-vehicle distance sensor is operable to increase a range of the sensor when the vehicle advances subsequent to a state of remaining stopped by the stop-holding device in the second following control.

11. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a display device that displays at least one of the enabled state of the stop-holding device, the disabled state of the stop-holding device, a status of the first following control and a status of the second following control.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is operable to execute a high-speed following control when the vehicle is at a speed in a high-speed range and a low-speed following control when the vehicle is at a speed in a low-speed range;

and wherein the controller, via the operation member, is operable to change a control state of the low-speed following control corresponding to the set state of the stop-holding device.

13. An apparatus for a vehicle following a preceding vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an inter-vehicle distance sensor that detects an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle;

a brake device that decelerates the vehicle;

a stop-holding device that maintains a stopped state automatically when the vehicle is stopped;

an operation member for setting the stop-holding device in one of an enabled state and a disabled state; and

a controller operable to perform control for following the preceding vehicle using the brake device based on a signal from the inter-vehicle distance sensor and operable to perform a following control while following the preceding vehicle until the vehicle is stopped when the stop-holding device is in the enabled state.

14. A control system for a vehicle for following a preceding vehicle that performs control for following the preceding vehicle based on an inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, the control system comprising:

a judgment device that determines whether a stop-holding device operable to automatically maintain a stopped state is in one of an enabled state and a disabled state once the vehicle is stopped; and

a control state switching device operable to maintain the control for following the preceding vehicle until the vehicle is stopped if the judgment device indicates that the stop-holding device is in the enabled state and to release the control for following the preceding vehicle once a vehicle speed falls below a prescribed vehicle speed if the judgment device indicates that the stop-holding device is in the disabled state.

15. A method for control of a vehicle for following a preceding vehicle, the method comprising:

setting a stop-holding device that can automatically maintain a stopped state in one of an enabled state and a disabled state once the vehicle is stopped;

determining whether the stop-holding device is in the enabled state or the disabled state; and

changing a control state of the control for following the preceding vehicle in response to whether the stop-holding device is in the enabled state or the disabled state.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

executing a high-speed following control when the vehicle is at a speed in a high-speed range; and

executing a low-speed following control when the vehicle is at a speed in a low-speed range; and

wherein changing the control state further includes changing a control state of the low-speed following control corresponding to a state of the stop-holding device.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a vehicle speed of the vehicle; and

performing a first following control operation that releases the control for following the preceding vehicle when the vehicle speed is lower than a first prescribed vehicle speed when the stop-holding device is in the disabled state.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

performing a second following control while following the preceding vehicle until the vehicle is stopped when the stop-holding device is in the enabled state.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

stopping the vehicle while control for following the preceding vehicle is released when the preceding vehicle is lost from view and when the vehicle speed falls below a second prescribed vehicle speed in the second following control.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

releasing the control for following the preceding vehicle when the stop-holding device is changed from the enabled state to the disabled state when the vehicle speed falls below the first prescribed vehicle speed during the second following control.